Manuel "Machete" Baez-Santos, of Norristown (Credit: Montgomery County District Attorney's Office)
Defense argues lack of evidence as pretrial hearings continue ahead of May trial
One of nine alleged members of the Pagans Outlaw Motorcycle Club charged in connection with a shooting outside a West Norriton Wawa is asking a judge to dismiss the case against him, arguing prosecutors lack evidence tying him to the violence.
During a pretrial hearing Monday in Montgomery County Court, The Mercury reported that defense attorney Brendan M. Campbell argued there is no proof that Manuel “Machete” Baez-Santos, 34, of Norristown, possessed a weapon or participated in the Oct. 17, 2025 confrontation.
Campbell said even if prosecutors can place Baez-Santos near the Wawa at 2544 W. Main St., his presence alone does not establish involvement in the shooting, according to the report.
Baez-Santos faces charges including aggravated assault, simple assault, conspiracy, riot and recklessly endangering another person stemming from the 9:12 p.m. altercation involving members of the Pagans and the rival Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club. Six people were wounded during the incident, including two bystanders.
Prosecutors argued there is significant circumstantial evidence linking Baez-Santos to the incident. Assistant District Attorney Bradley Walter Deckel told the court that cellphone records placed Baez-Santos in the area at the time of the confrontation, and license plate reader video showed nine Pagans members traveling toward the Wawa shortly before the shooting, according to The Mercury. Deckel also said one rider appeared to have a knife attached to his pants, and a knife was later recovered during an Oct. 30 search of a Norristown residence where Baez-Santos was arrested.
Campbell also challenged the legality of that search, asking the court to suppress evidence obtained during the investigation, according to the report.
Judge Risa Vetri Ferman said she will rule on the defense motions after pretrial hearings conclude for all nine defendants charged in the case. Those hearings are continuing throughout the week.
Baez-Santos remains held at the Montgomery County jail on $500,000 cash bail while awaiting trial. The joint trial for all nine defendants is scheduled to begin May 18.
All nine defendants face identical charges connected to the incident, and eight remain jailed on $500,000 cash bail. The joint trial is currently expected to last about four weeks.
Arrested were Erik Dixon, 33, of Upper Merion; George Cwienk III, 51; Joel Hernandez-Martinez, 36; George Hripto Jr., 50; Jason Lawless, 45, all of Bridgeport; Manuel Baez-Santos, 34, of Norristown; Luke Higgins, 29, of Dauberville; Justin Noll, 34, of Reading; and Erik Rosenberger, 46, of East Greenville.
On Friday, October 17, 2025, at 9:12 p.m., West Norriton Township Police were dispatched to the Wawa, 2544 W. Main St., for a reported shooting. The 911 caller said the store manager had locked down the building and had customers hiding in the back area.
A joint investigation by West Norriton Township Police and the Montgomery County Detective Bureau determined the shooting was gang-related and resulted in six people being shot, including two innocent bystanders.
According to the investigation, an adult male was shot in the face while putting air in his vehicle’s tire, and an adult female was shot in the right side of her torso as she stood near the store’s entrance.
One member of the Unknown Bikers Outlaw Motorcycle Club was shot in the left forearm and thigh, authorities said.
Detectives used surveillance video, eyewitness accounts, and other evidence to piece together the events. Video showed two Unknown Bikers members arriving at 9:08 p.m. to refuel when nine Pagans arrived together at 9:10 p.m.
“Some of the Pagans surrounded the opposing gang members, while other Pagans positioned themselves to block any escape,” a release from the District Attorney stated. “Almost immediately, a physical altercation ensued … Video shows Pagan gang members tactically moving through the area and taking a shooting platform stance.”
One minute later, gunfire erupted, and the Pagans fled the scene toward Norristown. Detectives recovered 14 fired cartridge casings at the scene.
Norristown Police later located four motorcycles and five Pagan gang members traveling eastbound on Main Street. Officers found that Rosenberger, Higgins, Cwienk, Hernandez-Martinez, and Noll had all been shot and were transported to area hospitals.
The investigation involved the Montgomery County Detective Bureau’s Violent Crime Unit, the District Attorney’s Gun Violence Reduction Task Force, and police from West Norriton, Upper Merion, Norristown, Bridgeport, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force.
For more details on the case and prior developments, read more here.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
